KARIMNAGAR: Tuesday turned out to be a great day for 393 beneficiaries belonging to scheduled castes in Karimnagar district, as they received in all
₹38.07 crore worth 202 units under Dalit Bandhu scheme at a programme organised at Ambedkar Grounds in Karimnagar.
The beneficiaries received 76 harvesters, 12 JCBs, 15 mini lorries, 10 paddy-sowing machines, four tipper lorries, three mini buses, two Tata Hitachi excavators, one Scorpio and 79 trolley autos. Major units like harvesters, JCBs and mini lorries went to 3–4 beneficiaries forming into groups.
The units were handed over to beneficiaries by ministers Koppula Eshwar and Gangula Kamalakar, state planning commission vice-chairman B. Vinod Kumar, MP Venkatesh Netha and SC Corporation chairman Banda Srinivas.
Speaking on the occasion, Koppula Eswhar expressed happiness that these self-employment units are being distributed on International Women’s Day. He said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, through his Dalit Bandhu scheme, has helped people of Dalit communities, who are labours and drivers, become owners of vehicles. He pointed out that the CM has now allocated ₹ 17,800 crore to Dalit Bandhu in the state budget to bring happiness among families belonging to SCs.
Planning commission vice chairman Vinod Kumar said TRS, which had been formed in 2001, announced its Dalit policy in 2002 itself. From then on, the party has been striving hard to improve lives of people belonging to scheduled caste communities. “Whatever comments opposition parties may make or even criticise TRS government, these schemes will continue being implemented in the state,” Vinod Kumar declared.
Minister Kamalakar advised beneficiaries to efficiently utilise the units given to them for becoming economically strong, providing employment opportunities to others in the process.
ZP chairperson K. Vijaya, MLC Padi Koushik Reddy, TRS leader Gellu Srinivas Yadav, SUDA chairman G.V. Rama Krishna Rao, SC corporation executive director Suresh, and deputy transport commissioner Chandrasekhar Goud were among those who participated in the programme.
